Ecology & Environment
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lionthe Galápagos from somewhere else after
journeys of several hundred to thousands of
kilometers on fortuitous wind, air and sea
currents, mostly from South America and the
Caribbean. Of course some flora and fauna
arrived later more unnaturally, brought by
settlers and others visiting the islands. There
are no large terrestrial mammals.
As early as 1934, the Ecuadorian government
set aside some of the islands as wildlife
sanctuaries, but it was not until 1959 that
the Galápagos were officially declared a national
park. The construction of the Charles
Darwin Research Station on Isla Santa Cruz
began soon after, and the station began operating
in 1964 as an international nongovernmental
organization (NGO). (The
Galápagos National Park Service began
operating in 1968 and is the key institution
of the Ecuadorian government responsible
for the park. Both entities work together to
manage the islands.) In 1986, the Ecuadorian
government granted more protection
to the islands by creating the Galápagos
Marine Resources Reserve.
For more on the fascinating wildlife of
the Galápagos, see the Galápagos Wildlife
chapter ( p49 ).
The national park covers approximately
97% of the total land mass – the rest is
taken up by urban areas and farms that
existed prior to the creation of the park.
The Galápagos Marine Resources Reserve
covers the 133,000 sq km of ocean and seabed
within which the islands are located,
plus a 20,000-sq-km buffer zone. A law that
was passed in 1998 enables the park and
reserve to protect and conserve the islands
and surrounding ocean; it also encourages
educational and scientific research while
allowing sustainable development of the
islands as an Ecuadorian province.
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